How Meghan’s outfits compares to thrifty Kate’s choices

HERE’S how the cost of Meghan Markle’s outfits stack up to the dresses worn by Kate Middleton during her first year as a royal.

WHILE Kate Middleton is known as the queen of thrift thanks to her penchant for recycling outfits and high street brands, Meghan Markle is fast getting a reputation for being a designer princess.

In the months since marrying Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex has worn a slew of expensive outfits from the likes of Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta.

One royal expert has estimated that Meghan has spent more than $1.3 million on clothes since announcing her engagement last year, Entertainment Tonight reports.

So how does the cost of Meghan’s outfits compare to Kate’s choices during her first year as a royal?

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Meghan and Kate both favoured dresses from British brands for their first official engagements after marrying their respective princes.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a $450 dress from chain store Reiss to meet Michelle and Barack Obama in May 2011.

Meanwhile Meghan wore a $609 pink dress by Goat to Prince Charles’ 70th birthday garden party.

Kate wore an off the rack Reiss dress for her first official royal engagement. Picture: Getty

Meghan also favoured a British designer for her first appearance as a married woman, wearing a $609 dress by Goat. Picture: Getty Images

Kate made her second appearance as a royal at the Investec Derby Day in June wearing another Reiss dress which cost $507, underneath a Joseph Nessie jacket which retailed for a slightly steeper $858.

For her third appearance as the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan wore a Givenchy cape dress while accompanying Queen Elizabeth on a visit to Cheshire.

The designer dress cost a staggering $24,516, making it one of the most expensive outfits Meghan has worn since marrying Harry.

For a day at the races Kate wore another Reiss dress underneath an $858 coat. Picture: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

For her first engagement alongside the Queen, Meghan wore a Givenchy dress which cost $24,516. Picture: Getty

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Unlike Meghan, Kate is famous for recycling outfits and regularly wearing chain store brands such as Zara.

Attending a church service to mark Prince Philip’s 90th birthday in 2011, Kate donned a blue patterned coat by Jane Troughton which she had first worn to a friend’s wedding in 2009.

Underneath the coat was a another recycled item — a blue dress from Zara that the Duchess of Cambridge had worn when leaving for her honeymoon earlier that year.

Kate is famous for recycling clothing, like what she did at the church service for Prince Phillip’s 90th birthday in 2011. Picture: Getty Images

Givenchy is emerging as Meghan’s favourite brand, with the Duchess wearing a shirt dress costing $5707 to Royal Ascot.

Meghan’s debut at Royal Ascot saw her wear another Givenchy dress — this one carrying a slightly more modest price tag of $5707.

The former actress’ choice of designer clothing appears to be far from a fluke, with Meghan wearing $32,000 worth of outfits in just three hours during a visit to Ireland this week.

Meanwhile anything expensive owned by Kate she usually wears multiple times, with the Duchess of Cambridge wearing the same $5363 Jenny Packham gown in 2011 and 2016.

Kate in 2011. Picture: Getty Images

Kate recycling the look in 2016. Picture: Stephen Pond/Getty Images

Meghan and Kate had a girls day yesterday when the watched the tennis together at Wimbledon. Meghan made headlines thanks to her hat which she was forced to carry all day because she wasn’t allowed to wear it.

Originally published as How Meghan’s outfits compares to thrifty Kate’s choices